There has been one constant in the Jazz's five-game road win streak, which they'll look to extend Wednesday against the Nuggets: shooting.

Or defense, depending on your point of view.
     In each of those victories, the Jazz have shot better from the field than their opponent. In fact, over Utah's past 13 games, the team that has shot better has won.
     
Other factors ? rebounding, turnovers, free-throw or three-point shooting ? have varied, but field-goal percentage has been the consistent determining stat.
     
On this road trip, the Jazz are shooting 46.5 percent from the field, compared to their opponents' combined 41.9.
     
And the guy leading the way in that has been Karl Malone. On Tuesday it was announced that Malone had been named Western Conference Player of the Week. During the week of Feb. 12-17, while the Jazz went 4-0, Malone averaged 27.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. What the stats don't show is the caliber of defense Malone has played in this stretch.
     
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan credits Malone with this team's resurgence.
     
"The big guy's played the best basketball he's played this year," he said. "He's been terrific defensively, as well."
     
But Sloan also said the other guys have picked up on Malone's cue.
     
"All of our players have played much harder, played much better," he said. "They seem to be more together as a group."